Systems, methods and computer program products for automating retrieval of data from a DB2 database

Abstract

Data is automatically retrieved from a DataBase 2 (DB2) database using a DB2 scripter module that is configured to automatically log on to the DB2 database, to automatically perform a query of the DB2 database, and to automatically extract from the DB2 database a dataset that results from the query. A dataset processor module is configured to convert the dataset into a text file, and to deliver the text file to a delivery site, for retrieval by the user. The DB2 scripter module can extract the dataset by printing the dataset to a DB2 virtual printer and/or by exporting the dataset to a File Transfer Protocol (FTP) site.

1. A system for automating retrieval of data from a DataBase 2 (DB2) database comprising:
 a memory and a processor; 
 a DB2 scripter module that is configured to automatically log on to the DB2 database, to automatically perform a query of the DB2 database and to automatically extract from the DB2 database a dataset that results from the query; and 
 a dataset processor module that is configured to convert the dataset that is extracted from the DB2 database into a text file and to deliver the text file to a delivery site for retrieval by a user, 
 wherein the DB2 scripter module is configured to automatically extract from the DB2 database a dataset that results from the query by printing the dataset to a DB2 virtual printer or by exporting the dataset to a File Transfer Protocol (FTP) site. 
 
   
   
     2. A system according to  claim 1  wherein the DB2 scripter module is activated upon occurrence of a predetermined event. 
   
   
     3. A system according to  claim 2  wherein the predetermined event comprises a predetermined time and/or activation by a user. 
   
   
     4. A system according to  claim 1  further comprising a user processor module that is configured to convert the text file into a format that is viewable by the user. 
   
   
     5. A system according to  claim 4  wherein the user processor module comprises a personal computer spreadsheet macro. 
   
   
     6. A system according to  claim 1  wherein the dataset processor module comprises a UNIX scripter module. 
   
   
     7. A system according to  claim 1  wherein the DB2 scripter module is further configured to automatically log off the DB2 database after automatically extracting the dataset that results from the query. 
   
   
     8. A method for automatically retrieving data from a DB2 database comprising the following that are automatically performed in sequence in response to occurrence of a predetermined event:
 executing a DB2 script that is configured to log on to the DB2 database, to perform a query of the DB2 database and to extract from the DB2 database a dataset that results from the query; 
 converting the dataset that is extracted from the DB2 database into a text file; and 
 delivering the text file to a delivery site for retrieval by a user, 
 wherein the DB2 script is configured to extract from the DB2 database a dataset that results from the query by printing the dataset to a DB2 virtual printer or by exporting the dataset to a File Transfer Protocol (FTP) site. 
 
   
   
     9. A method according to  claim 8  wherein the predetermined event comprises a predetermined time and/or activation by a user. 
   
   
     10. A method according to  claim 8  further comprising converting the text file into a format that is viewable by the user. 
   
   
     11. A method according to  claim 10  wherein the converting is performed by a personal computer spreadsheet macro. 
   
   
     12. A method according to  claim 8  wherein the DB2 script is further configured to automatically log off the DB2 database after automatically extracting the dataset that results from the query. 
   
   
     13. A computer program product that is configured to automate retrieval of data from a DataBase 2 (DB2) database, the computer program product comprising a computer usable storage medium having computer-readable program code embodied in the medium, the computer-readable program code comprising:
 computer-readable program code that is configured to automatically log on to the DB2 database, to automatically perform a query of the DB2 database and to automatically extract from the DB2 database a dataset that results from the query; and 
 computer-readable program code that is configured to convert the dataset that is extracted from the DB2 database into a text file and to deliver the text file to a delivery site for retrieval by a user, 
 wherein the computer-readable program code that is configured to automatically log on to the DB2 database is configured to automatically extract from the DB2 database a dataset that results from the query by printing the dataset to a DB2 virtual printer or by exporting the dataset to a File Transfer Protocol (FTP) site. 
 
   
   
     14. A computer program product according to  claim 13  wherein the computer-readable program code that is configured to automatically log on to the DB2 database is responsive to occurrence of a predetermined event. 
   
   
     15. A computer program product according to  claim 14  wherein the predetermined event comprises a predetermined time and/or activation by a user. 
   
   
     16. A computer program product according to  claim 14  further comprising computer-readable program code that is configured to convert the text file into a format that is viewable by the user. 
   
   
     17. A computer program product according to  claim 14  wherein the computer-readable program code that is configured to automatically log on to the DB2 database is further configured to automatically log off the DB2 database after automatically extracting the dataset that results from the query.